Ibec: Let private sector deliver public services

The business body Ibec believes that the private sector can be used to deliver a wide range of public services more effectively, cheaper and without the loss of jobs.

A study published yesterday, Delivering Worldclass Public Services: Working with Business, examines 17 examples of existing services within the Irish public sector that are currently carried out by the private sector, ranging from IT projects, call centres, animal traceability initiatives, as well as vital public safety schemes such as the 112 emergency call answering service and the road safety cameras.

Ibec head of social and innovation policy Tony Donohue, whose unit produced the report, said: “There has been far too little debate about the role the private sector can play in delivering public services. Other countries, many of which are known for the quality of their public services, make far more use of the private sector. While it is clear that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, the potential benefits are significant.”